Multiple-punch press.



F. THOMPSON. MULTIPLE PUNCH PRESS. APPLIUAMQN FILED 111:0. 2e, 190s.`

966,965. Patented Aug.9,1910.

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l. UNTTED t STATES PATENT onirica.

FRANK THOMPSON, F CHICAGO, ILLINIS.

MULTIPLE-runen Pansa.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and y 'useful Improvements in Multiple-Punch Presses, of which the following is`a specification. M y

"Ihe object of this invention is to provide a multiple punch press the dies of which will be allton'iatically actuated in` accordancel with a. prepared pattern so that the holes will be made in the work in exact accordance with the marks in the patterlnfthereby permitting a large number ot' plates to. be successively ted through'the press and auto- `1natically punched in exact accordance with one anotherlhis'niethotfl ot puncl'liug the plates obviates th(` necessity for manually adjusting the punch for cach hole or series of holes in each plate land aththe same time enables the holes to be punched with much reater exactness and rapidity than would 1e possible'if the ordinary practice were ollowed.4 y

Inlcarrying out the details t the present invention a pattern in theformof a strip ot' thin liber, strong paper, or sheet metal, is employed, which is automatically ted through thev lnacl'line at a speed either thel same as, or pl-oportionate to the :feeding speed o't' the worlnwhich pattern has formed therein holes or marks which are `adapted to be brought into register with suitable Vactuating devices to throw the designated dies into commission so that, with the descent of the punch, the commissioned dies will punch the designated holes in `exact, accordance with the marks on the pattern.

In the present embodiment of the inventionelectrical lmeans have been shown for carrying out the details of the invention, but it is n`t the intention to limit the invention strictlylto the employment of such'electrical actuating means since pneumatic or vmechanical means might. be employed WithoutI departing materially from the spirit ofthe invention. Y

Further objects will appear from the de tailed description of the invention,` which consists in the features of construction and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Allg. 9', 1910. i Application led December 26, 1908. Serial No. 469,263, i

broken away to show tne Yautomatic actuating means of the present, invention; Fig. 2 an enlarged sectionall detail of one of the electrical contact blocks; and Fig. 3 an enlarged.l sectional detail of one of the die members.

The inventionis shown as applied to a multiple punch press of a well known stylecomprising a. frame having uprights 4 4 which are connected by the cross head 5. 6.5

The' uprights support a table .6 provided 'with a plurality of female die .re. ,cesses 7.

'lhetable serves to support the Work which is fed in at a predetermined speed over rollers 8 and t), or in any other suitable manner. The punch is provided lwith the usual reciprocating head 10, which is guided in the uprights 4L and actuated by suitable eccentric mechanism 1l, mounted upon` a shait 12, which is actuated by means of a spin' gear 13. 'lfhe details above described are standard and .a further description isdeemed unnecessary. Obviously the mechanism for i imparting reciprocation to the vhead 10 might bey of any well known style other than that here used for purposes of' illustration. -The reciprocating punch head y serves as a mountin for aV plurality of male die` members 14, each of 'which normally projects below the plane of the punch head, and is adapted to be retracted into a. socket recess l5 when brought in contactP with the surface .of the work unless such retract-ion be prevented `by the mechanism to be' hereinafter described. Each of the socket. re-

cesses 15 has leading therefrom a guide recess 1.6 immediately above the upper end ot'` the male die member 142, which 'guide recess 16 extends at right angles to the die` recess 15 and serves as a guideway for a slid-able stop plate 17 which is adapted to be projected across the die recess immediately above the upper end ot the die when in its lowermost position, so that 'the die will be 'held against 'retraction when brought into t'll'rough the. Work andenter the female die. '-iefmagnet has leading therefrom an encrgizing circuit wire 19` which is carriedup throughl the punch head and through the cross head 5; or m any other suitable manner, and terminates ina contactpoint 2O, which is preferably located 1n an insulating cup'l. The Contact point 20 cooperates iwith a, contact block 22, which is shouldered at itsupper endQl and is connected with a return circuit. wire which leads through a battery 2G, or other-source ot'power, and

` o back .to the repelling magnet 18. llie contact block 22 is entered through a n i'psulat ing sleeve QT in a guidebar QS, whiclnis elevated slightly above the surface ot' thecross head 5 to provide a space for the travel of the pattern 29, which pattern sfed from a reel to a reel 3l at.a speed equal to.. or proportionate with the-travel of the work.

n'lhe upper oncnlarged 'end-of the Contact block, when raised, will engage a pair ot' separated contact members 32 and bridge v the space between them,` thereby serving to close one of the sections 'of a circuit which Y 1n a tvibe termed the feed circuitI and which is lvtorined by connecting the contact members v of adjacent pairs and completing the circuit bysuitable wircs 33 and 3G which actuate a motor and-connect with a contact block l 34: located iii the guidcway for the reciproeating punch head. The circuit 4from .the motor is continued through a contact block -BS'fin the edge ot' the recilnvocating` punch head, which block, 1n turn, 1s connected by means oi a wire. 3L) with the opposite end ot' the series ol' contact members 32.

ydynamt-i d0, or other source of power, is

located at asuitable point` in the circuit to actuatc thc motor when the circuit 'is conlplctoly closed. The codperatingrl contact blocks 1l und 3S are so locatedy that thc lccd-f in n circuit will be l'nolten with cvcry dcsrcnt of the rccilnocat'ing punch head, but will be again closed when thc punch head rises sutil! ciently vto clevat'e the punch members above the plane ot the work. The motor 3:3. serves -to drive thcpattcrn reel Stand the feed l roller S at an equal or' a proportionate rate olf' contactv kblocks 22, Afatter nach downward reciprocationof thtl punch head, sutliciently to clear-the surface of the pattern and pei'- mit the latter to be fed forward the contact idee-lis` are all entered vthrough a return bar 4Q which is supported upon rods 43 actuated by means ofcams 44 so constructed as to momentarily raise such of the contact blocks as may previously have dropped through holes in the pattern. 'Thisraising of the Contact blocks will be simultaneous with the initial engagement of the contact blocks 34: and 38, so that the feed circuit will be cornpletely established at ltheinstant that the punch head begins to lift the punch members above thesurface of the Werk. i

In use, the work is fed over the rollers 8 and 9 at a speed equal to' or proportionate 4with the travel of the pattern which is fed through the space intermediate thel contactblocks 22 and the contact oints 20. The pattern is preferably formey of thin flexible ber, or heavy paper, or sheet metal suitably insulated, and the pattern is provided at the points intended to lndicate punch holes, with holes of a size to permit thev ends of the contact blocks to dropthrough the pattern, and rest upon the contact points 20. When one or more contact blocks are thus dropped through the pattern holes, the feed circuit will be broken at' one or more points, thereby serving to stop the feed motor, so that the progress of the pattern and the work will be simultaneously arrested. As the feed circuit isbroken one or more die circuits will be closed, and with the closingl of each die circuit the repelling magnet in such circuit will throw the stop member into position behind t-he male die member so that with the next descent of the die head, such ol" the male die'mcmbers as have been thus thrown into commission will be held against retraction and forced through the work, thereby formingr one or more punch holes in accordance with thrspccitications of the pattern. lith each descent of tht` punch head the feed cir cuit will bc broken, and this regardless of whether any et the punch members have been thrown into commission. This simultaneously 'stops the pattern and the'work to permit-the dies to act if any bethrown into comn'iission and arrests the progress of the pattern until the return movement of the punch head allows the die members to drop in their sockets and assume a position which will permit the stop members to bc thrown in accordance with the holes formed in the pattern. Simultantumsl \v with the initial rise of the. .punch head, the entire series of contact' blocks 2Q will be mtnncntarily lifted to close the feeding` circuit at' all points which starts the moto' and moves the pati 'ternsuilicieutly to carry the hole.` with which the contact blocks were previously in regi."l ter, 'out ol' register .herewith, .so that with the succeedingdescent of the bar tl the blocks will all be held elevated by contact with imperforate portions of the pattern unti'l the movement of the pattern brings succeeding holes in register vwith the ycontact' blocks. The arran mentof the dies and the contact blocks y which they are actuated can be varied indefimtel depending upon the multiplicity of variatlonsjwhich it the invention. p What I regard asnew and desxreto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a multiple punch press, the combi` nation of a reelprocatin vpunch head provided with a plurality o.' die sockets, a. plw ralty of male dies adapted to be retracted into said sockets when unimpeded,y stop members 'adapted to.l be moved into sai sockets to prevent the retraction of the male -die members. electrical mechanism actuated in accord with markings on a pattern for throwing the stop members into position to set the deslgnated die members, and means for moving the pattern and the work in accord with one another and for stopping the pattern andthe work simultaneously with the setting' of a die, substantially as de scribed.

In a multiplepuneh press, the eombination of `a reciprocating` punch head provided with a pluralit)v of die sockets, male dies adapted when unimpeded to be retracted into said sockets, stop members adapted to be moved behind said die men'lbers to prevent retraction. l'neans actuated in accord :man with markings ouapattern for movintr said .stop members., means 4for feeding the work and the pattern in unison with one another. and 'for stopping the rfeedin,. ,0' movement simultaneously with the setting of the stop mcmluers, and means for releasing all of thc stop members after each reciprocation of the pum-h hcad. substantially as described.

3, in a multiple punch press, l'heicolnbi nation ot a reciprocating punch heacLa pluralit)v of male die members adapted to be thrown imo and. out ofcoml'nission, means actuated b v 'markings on a pattern for throwingdesignated die members into conr mission, and means for throwing all of the die members out of commission with each reciprocation of the punch head, substantially as described. i

l. In a multiple punch'press, the combination of a reciprocating punch head, a plurality 4of male, die members adapted to be thrown into and out of commission, means actuated by' markings on a patternyfor throwing designated die members lnto commission, meansv for throwing all of the die membersout of comnnsslon with each reciprocation of the punch head, means `:for feed- `ingthe pattern and the Work in unison with one another, and means adapted to stop the feed sinniltaneously with the setting of any one of the die membersv substantially as dei scribed.

5'. In a multiple punch press, the combination. ot a reciprocating head provided 'witli. a plurality ot` die sockets,` male" members nornmlly projecting from `and `adapted to be moped bach into 'said sockets,

sto .members adapted tobe' moved into said soc Iets to prevent retraction of theJ die mem. bers, means for ieedlng the Work and the pattern in unison with one another, electrical contact members adapted to be held apart by imperforate portions yof the pattern and adapted to be moved into contact when in register With perforations in the pattern, electrical means and connections adapted to be influenced when said contact members are brought together for throwin the stop members and setting the male dies, electrical means and connections for 'stoppin the feed of the pattern and the work by sal movement. ofthe contact. members, sub

stantially as described. 6. In a. multiple punchpress, the combination `of a reciprocating head provided with a plurality of die sockets, male die members normally Aprojecting from and adapted to be moved baclcinto said sockets, stop members adapted to be moved into said sockets toprevent retraction of the die members, mea-ns for feeding the work and the pattern in unison lwith one another, electrical contact members adapted to be held apart by imperforate portions of the pattern and adapted to be moved into contact when in register with perforations in the pattern, electrical means and connections adapted to. be influenced when saidl contact members are brouohtj together for throwing the stop mem ers and setting the male dies, electrical means, and connections for .stoppingthe feed of the pattern andthe work by said movement of the contact members, and

means for moving back the contact members .tonoimal positionwith each reciprocation of the punch head. substantially as described.

'F.In a lmultiple punch press, the combination of a reciprocating punch head provided withy aplu ality of die sockets, male die members normally adapted to project below and .adapted to be retracted back into said sockets, stops adapted to be moved into said socketsfto prevent retraction of the die members, means for feeding a pattern and for feeding thework iu unison with one another, contact blocks and contact points in register with one another above and below 1c and adapted-to be influenced to stop said- `motor simultaneously With the movement of theline of-travel of the pattern and adapted' toy bejbrought into contact when in register with perforations in the pattern, electrical` means adapted to be actuated by'movernents ofthe blocks, circuit wires connected With the. contact blocks and contact points for actuatingsaid electrical means when the contact'blo'cks-and points touch one another, a motor for feeding the pattern 'and the work, Iand a circuit leading to said motor any' Contact block into engagement 4with its contact point, substantially as described.

8. In a multiple punch press, the combination of a reciprocating head provided with a plurality of die-sockets, male die members vnormally lprojecting from and adapted to be moved back into said sockets,

stop members adapted to be moved into said Vsockets to prevent retraction of the die members, electrical contact members adapted to be held apart by imperforate portions of a. pattern and adapted to be moved 'Sinto contact when in register with perforatlons-m the pattern, electrical means and connections v -a' movable contact on the reciprocating punch head, said movable contact adapted to come into electrical connection with the stationaryI contact when the punch head is in its upper or disengaged position, substantially as described.

' FRANK THoifIr'soN.

Witnesses E. F. CARRY,

SAMUEL WV. BANKING. 

